Communication device for jails



July' 26, 1932. H. P. MANLY' 1,869,266

COMMUNICATION DEVICE FOR JAILS Filed Jan. 8, 1932 ATTORNEY Patented July26, 1932 MANLY, AND W. JUDSON MANLY This invention relatestocommunication devices for ails and the like and, among other objects,aims to provide a simple and 1nexpensive speaking tube attachmentadapted to permit conversation between a'visitor and prisoner and, atthe same time, eflectively prevent the passage of tools,-weapo ns,drugs, or other contraband goods from one to the other. The idea is toprovide a speaking tube installation which can easily be manufactured byusing ordinary pipe fittings and having provision to be removablysecured to 'a partition or panel without using bolts, screws orthe like.7 r

Other aims and advantages of the invention sideredin connection with theaccompanying drawing, wherein: r

' Fig. 1 is a front elevat1onof a speaking tube embodying the inventionand showing it ap plied to a partition; V I r Fig. 2 is a verticalsectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1; and I j I Fig. 3 is ahorizontal'sectional view taken onthe line 33 in Fig. 1.

V Referring particularly to the drawing, the preferred form of speakingtube is shown as being applied to a partition or wall 10 whichbulletproof window 11 to permitvisitors and prisoners to see each'other.It will be under stood that such windows are usually arranged betweenthe prisoners day room and what is known as a visitors corridor in amodern jail installation. The panel of glass 11 is'conveniently securedin an opening in the wall or partition by means of metal frame mem} bers12, 13 and 14. In this instance,-the glass projects on'the inside of theprisoners'compairtment. However, it may project on either In accordancewith this invention, the'partition 10 has a series of perforations, 15below the window frame to provide sound passages; On the inside of thepartition is secured a flared mouthpiece 16 which may be made of anysuitable material. It is so arranged that the prisoner maystand next tothe window and seea'visitor on the opposite side while a conversationisin progress. Y

will appear in the specification, when 0on is usually made of toolproofsteel having a' nownnn .P. MANLY; or neuron, GEORGIA, AssIeNoR To MANLYJAIL wonxs, or

DALTON, GEORGIA, A PARTNERSHIP COMPOSED or COMMUNICATION DEVICE ms.TAILS.

Application filed January 8, 1932. Serial No. 585,576.

' UNITED S PATENT omen 1 FRANK MANLY, HOWARD P, Q,

In thisinstance, a speaking tube isremovf ably connected to the outerface of the-partition 10 to provide a tortuous passage from theperforations through which the sound is conducted; thus precluding thepassage of any small articles through the wall. While the speakingtubemay be made of many different forms, it is'here shown as comprisinga series of ordinarypipe fittings secured'to a substan tiallyrectangular sheet metal plate 17 having a circular opening in which'theenlarged end ofa reducing elbow 18 is welded, the arrangement being suchthatthe open'end of the el bow coversthe-perforations in the partitionwhen the platel? is secured in place. The smallend of the elbow 18: isshown as being secured to one endof a return bend 19 by vi means of .aright andleft hand nipple "20 I having a hexagon center 21. To theother. end 7 the return bend is connected another reducf' 111g Jelbow22' conveniently by means of an ordinary short nipple (not shown).;However, both reducing elbows may be secured to the return bend in anywell known manner. 1 I

When the nipples are employed the elbow'22 is ap lied first and theelbow18 is thenassembled y rotating the nipple 21 with anordinary wrench.There is shown a having a flange 24: surrounding 'and secured to theenlarged end of the elbow 18 by means of screws 25." This mouthpieceisshownas having a shouldered portion 26 toprovide means for clampingawire screen 27 between it and the end of'the'elbow as clearly shown inFig. 3. The wire screen is used merely to prevent the'passage of anydebris into the speaking tube which would clog it up. Isomeinstances,'it may be omitted. I

The; bottom of the return bend is here shown as having a cleanoutopening'which is closed by apipe plug 28. This plug may be removed afterthe speakingtube is .detached from the wall to afford access to theinside of the return bend.- It is conte-Inflared mouthpiece 23 plated,however, that the whole tube may be thoroughly cleaned by a strong et ofwater.

' While the speaking'tube'may be detachably secured to thewallin-a greatvariety of ways,

' the rectangular plate 17 ishereshownas metal tongue or lookingprojection .31 is se-.

7 cured to the Wall or partition 10 belowthe lower edge of the plate andis adapted to project through an opening'in a tab 32 on the lower edgeofthe plate directly'below the plug 28. The-arrangement is such that,When the plate is slipped into place against the partition, the outerend ofthe tongue 31 projects below the head of the plug so as to preventthe plug from being unscrewed. The tongue is shown as having an openingto receive the shackle of an ordinary padlock 33. This arrangementenablesa keeper to unlockthe padlock and remove the speaking tube'forcleaning purposes. I

c When the speaking tube is-made of relatively small fittings, as shownin this example, it is. sometimes desirable-to secure the elbows to eachother to prevent them from being-displaced by ordinary hammer blows.

Forv this purpose, the elbows are shown as beingsecured to each other byan ordinary machine screw 34: which is sopositioned that 35 itvis notaccessible to either communicant.

Also, the elbow 22 on thevisitors side is j shown as being secured atits back side to the plate-17 by -an ordinary rivet 35'. -EFrom theforegoing description, it will be seen that thesimple speaking tubeinstallation can easily be manufactured by using standard pipe fittings.Moreover,-al device of this type may befapplied to existing tool-"proofpartitions without requiring extensive alterations, it being onlynecessary to provide a hole or series of small perforations in thepartition and means removably to secure the speaking device to it.Demonstrations have shown that speaking tubes of this-character are veryefficientin conducting sound and enable-communicants tocarry on conversations in privacy. Moreover, the tortuous tube is very effective inpreventing the passage of any contraband articles from visitors toprisoners. No baffle of any kind is required and no special toolsfareneedednto remove the tube. .Obviously,-the present invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment thereof herein shown anddescribed.Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of theinvention'be used conjointly, since they may be employed advantageouslyin variouscombinations and sub-combinations. -What1s clalmed is:

1. A speaking device for jails comprising, in combination, a partitionwall having sound conducting perforations therein; a tortuous.

. in combination, a partition having a window therein and a soundconducting passage adjacent to the window; a speaking tube'com- V posedof a series of pipe fittings communicating with the passagein thepartition; a plate carrying the speaking tube; and means to lock theplate on one side of the partition.

3. A speaking tube installation for jails.

comprising, in combination, a partition havmg a series of perforatlonstllGIGlIL to provide a sound conducting passage; a mouthpiece securedtoone side of the partition; a

tortuous speaking tube composed of a series of pipe fittings ontheopposite side of the partition communicating with said sound conductingperforations; and means carrying the tube adapted to be detachablysecured to the partition.

Y 4; A- speaking tube installation for jails comprising, in combination,a partition haw; ingaseries of perforations therein to pro- 'videaso'undc'onducting passage;,almouthpiece secured to one sideofthepartition; "a tortuous speaking tube composed of a series of pipefittings onthe opposite side of the partition communicating with saidsound conductin perforations; a rectangular; plate carrying-ti titionadapted to engage said plate; and means to lock the plate onthepartition.

5. A speaking tube installation for jails andthe like comprising, incombination, .a return, ben'dhaving reducing elbows secured thereto toprovide a pair of sound conduct- 7 ing, openings I extending 1 inopposite direo-l tlons; apartltlonhavlng a sound conducting open ng;means togsecure thespeaking tube to: the partition so that one of thereducing elbows communicates with said sound conductingopening; amouthpiece'on the oppositeside of the partition; acleanout plug in thebottom of; the elbow; a locking tongue secured tothe partition;,a platesecured'to,

and'carrying the tube; and means tolock the plate with respect to thelocking tongue, said tongue projecting beneath the plug to pre-, ventunauthorized removal. v

6. 'In combination with a jail partition having sound conductingperforations, a tortuous speaking tube composedof a plurality of pipefittings including a pair of, adjacent reducing elbowsv having theirenlarged e tube; framemembers onthe par- 3 branches extending inopposite directions; and means removably to secure said speaking tube onone side of the partition adjacent to a window with the enlarged end ofone elbow covering the sound conducting perforations.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoaffixed my signature.

HOWARD P. MANLY.

